A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall encouraging us to turn to the Lord in prayer. He hears us.

John Randall: What are you holding on to right now that you ought to be giving over to the Lord in prayer? What did you come in here carrying that you can't control that God's saying, "Listen, why do you want to carry that? Give it to me." He is the great burden bearer. Cast your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you.

And how do you do that? You do that in prayer. You give that over to Jesus and say, "Lord, this is too much for me. I can't do it. I need You." Oh, friend, when you call upon Him, He will answer. He can hear you.

Guest (Male): Well, we hope you're ready to dive back into 1 Peter with us here on A Daily Walk. It's no secret that Christians in the past faced persecution. They certainly did in Peter's day. The first-century Roman world was hostile to Christianity, to put it mildly. And we face it today in growing measure.

It's one of our enemies' ploys to keep us from advancing in the faith. So, how should we respond? 1 Peter chapter three answers that for us. And now to explore that scripture with us, here is Pastor John Randall.

John Randall: 1 Peter chapter three, and I want to draw your attention beginning in verse eight. 1 Peter chapter three verse eight, if you would follow along with me as we read from the Scriptures this morning. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

For he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

It was in the summer of 64 AD that the city of Rome was set on fire. The fire burned six days and seven nights. The flames consumed almost three-quarters of the city. The citizens of Rome accused their emperor, Nero, of burning the city for his own entertainment. However, in order to placate himself, Nero falsely accused Christians of setting the city on fire.

This fabricated accusation brought great persecution upon the believers, which resulted in some of the most horrific forms of execution. In their martyrdom, many Christians were killed for sport and entertainment of the Roman citizens. They were covered with hides of wild animals and sent to the arenas to face wild beasts. Many of them were crucified on crosses.

Some of them were killed by being dipped in oil and burned as human torches in Nero's garden. Christianity was born in the midst of tyranny. For hundreds of years, Christians had no rights whatsoever and the fear of retribution for the early church was very real. Many believers were forced to go underground with their faith.

Some were brought to the witness stand to testify. If they did not declare that Caesar was Lord, they would be put to death, martyred for their faith. The Christians that Peter was writing to at this time were suffering and they were fearful of what the future held for them. Maybe you're fearful of what the future holds for you coming into a new year.

Maybe there are some things you've heard this year that are troubling and you're not sure what the future holds. Perhaps you are suffering to some extent. There are divine truths that I believe are important for us to take hold of. Peter is writing to a group of people who are suffering and they are being persecuted. They are experiencing great difficulty.

So he gives them some important advice that I think is worth emulating. The first thing that he mentions here is the importance of unity. In verse eight, "All of you be of one mind." One mind. It isn't always easy to walk in unity, is it, when you're going through difficulty? Sometimes it can be extremely challenging. It takes work.

Whether it's in a marriage, it's in a family, it's in a business venture, there is the need for unity. Unity doesn't mean uniformity, but it does mean cooperation, especially in the midst of diversity. The members of the body of Christ are to work together in unity even though we're different from one another.

Christians may differ on how things are to be done, but it's important to agree on what is to be done and why it is that we're doing it. There is the need for unity. But in addition to unity, Peter exhorts the believers to have sympathy for one another when he says, "be compassionate." That is the word sympathetic. It's a feeling that you can respond with sensitivity to the need at hand.

It pictures someone who is suffering with another person and entering into and sharing with their feelings. Having compassion on them, not so much from a distance, but being involved. True sympathy usually is fairly quiet. It is time intensive. It is presence intensive. It's feeling what others feel so that you can respond with sensitivity to the need, to have sympathy for one another.

Having sympathy sometimes is just being quiet and just not saying anything. Sometimes the worst thing that you can say in trying to be sympathetic towards someone is, "I know how you feel," when you don't. I would encourage you to be like Job's friends initially and say nothing. It wasn't until Job's friends started talking that he said, "Miserable comforters are you all."

But the point of just listening and being present, prayerful, sympathetic, compassionate. In addition, he asks for gentle ministry, or to be tenderhearted. That carries one step further than even compassion, because tenderheartedness is more than correspondence. It is a gentle kind of ministry. It includes the service of the tender hand. It feels the pain of others, but it touches the wounds in order to apply healing.

Then there is to be humility. Unity, sympathy, gentle ministry, humility. That is the word courteous. That is what it means. It means to be humble. In the ancient world, humility was not necessarily a virtue that one would seek to emulate. But it was Jesus and Christianity that elevated humility to a supreme virtue.

These are the things that you should be working towards: unity and sympathy and gentle ministry and a heart that is humble. But what else? Again, these people were suffering. Peter adds to this and he also says, "not returning," verse nine, "evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing."

The believers were not to revile those who were reviling them. Not to react to what was being done to them, or to pay them back. It's just a matter of time. I'm going to pay you back and I'm going to pay you double. You're just waiting for that moment. Payback. Have you ever said that? Paybacks are going to be sweet. It's coming for you.

He says, "Don't do that." That is the natural response. When you are reviled, when you are criticized, when you are wrongfully accused, the natural reaction is to give it right back and more so, to revile. Here Peter says, "Don't do that." Don't revile. What should I do then? How about bless them? I don't think that I can. Why would I do that?

Because that's exactly what Jesus would ask of you. It's exactly what He would do. To bless them instead. Peter then reminds the believers why they should do this. He tells them first of all, if you would look at verse nine, "knowing that you were called to this." You have a calling. And he said also that you will inherit a blessing.

Why should I not revile when I am reviled? Because you have a calling on your life and there is a blessing that is promised to you. That's why. Because of calling and because of blessing. And then he quotes from Psalm 34. He quotes from the Old Testament. I love this because Peter gives this advice, encourages them to do these things, but then he backs it up with Scripture.

He doesn't say, "Do this because I said so." He said, "Do this because the Bible says so." That is the foundation for the exhortation. It's the Scriptures. We do these things because it says it in God's word. That's why. And so he quotes from the Psalms and he quotes from Psalm 34 and he says this in verse 10: "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit."

Are you looking for a resolution for the new year? Here's one. God help me to control my mouth this year. Help me to say nicer things instead of critical things. God, control my mouth. The Psalmist said, "Lord, put a door over my lips." You ever just run right through that door? It doesn't matter. Is that a door? I'm going through it. You just say it and you can't get it back.

Once it's out there, it's out there. James talks about the tongue extensively. This little muscle in your body that does more damage than probably anything else. You probably have more problem with your tongue, the things that you say, than anything else in your life. And so he exhorts them in the midst of their suffering.

It might be natural for you to say certain things or to speak evil, let it come from your lips, but don't do it. Out of the abundance of our heart, the mouth speaks. So whatever is coming out of your mouth is a revelation of what's going on in your heart. If you are a profane person and you don't have a problem dropping expletives every other sentence or word and you just that is a revelation of what's going on in your heart.

Your heart needs to be purified. There's no reason for cursing to be coming from this spout where blessing is supposed to come from, James would say. It's not right. It's inconsistent. And when it does show up, repent of it. We want to repent of the things that we say. Don't speak deceit.

Instead, verse 11, "Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it." This is what you're to do. They're suffering, they're being persecuted. Peter says, "Listen, the natural tendency is to want to revile. Don't do it. Show sympathy, show compassion, be tenderhearted, be courteous, be humble. And also don't revile. Don't respond, don't react, but rather do what's good, seek peace."

Why? Because there is a calling on your life and there is a blessing on your life. But Peter elaborates even further in verse 12 as he quotes from the Psalmist. And I love this. This is so important. Listen, if you for some reason at this moment in this season you're in a season of suffering, you're in a season of hardship, maybe you have a child that is a prodigal son or daughter.

Maybe you have a marriage that is unraveling. Perhaps you have a business venture that is falling apart. Maybe there's a diagnosis that you've received. Maybe you're being persecuted for righteousness' sake. Listen to what he says here and understand. He says, "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

Peter begins by reminding these struggling believers of some blessed assurance as he quotes from the word of God. Three important truths he mentions. First of all, the eyes of the Lord are on you. God sees you. He sees you. But not only does He see you, but secondly, he says His ears are open to your cry. He hears you.

And then He also reminds them He acts on your behalf. So God sees, God hears, and God responds. When you're truly concerned about somebody, when you really love someone, you see them. You're mindful of them. You listen to them and you respond to assist them. Did you know that there was no place today that you could go to escape the gaze of God?

That He fills the heavens of the heavens. He sees you and He sees me. In fact, the writer of Hebrews tells us this in Hebrews chapter four and verse 13. He declares, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account." He sees everything. He's aware of it all.

Furthermore, in 2 Chronicles chapter 16, it says the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal toward Him. God sees you this morning. He sees your situation. Lord, do You see? Are You aware? Real quick, do You know what's going on down here? Yes, He sees.

The Bible declares in Zechariah chapter two verse eight, for thus says the Lord of hosts: "He sent me after glory to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of My eye," says the Lord. You're the apple of God's eye. He sees. I'm reminded in the book of Genesis chapter 16, you may recall when Hagar, who was the maidservant of Sarah and Abraham, was treated so poorly and she fled for her life.

She thought that her life was going to end. And the Lord came and ministered to her in her need. And this was her response, and I love this response. She said in Genesis 16, she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "You are the God who sees"; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" You are the God who sees. Do you know Him to be that God, the God who sees?

He sees you this morning. Jesus when He called Nathanael to be His disciple, He said, "A man in whom there is no guile." And Nathanael responded and said, "How do You know me?" And Jesus answered and said, "Before Philip called you and you were under the fig tree, I saw you." I saw you.

How we need to be reminded of this truth today that God sees. And what an encouragement it is in the midst of trial or suffering or pain that God is aware of your circumstance. But not only does He see your pain, but secondly, He hears your prayers. He hears.

It says His ears are open to their prayers, verse 12. Prayer is the means whereby we communicate with our heavenly Father. It's where we talk to God. I already talked to God this morning. Did you talk to Him? I hope you did. Start your day with prayer. In fact, I encourage you not to hang up, just keep talking.

Just keep the conversation open. Pray without ceasing. Of course, when you drive, keep your eyes open. But what I'm saying is keep the conversation going. Communicating with God, sharing your heart, listening to Him. And when it says that God hears the prayers and He's open to them, it means that God is into the prayers.

It's a picture of God bending down and listening earnestly to the cries of His children and eager to answer them. Jeremiah declared to the people in Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto Me," and the Lord declares, "and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." I'm just asking you to call on Me. I'll answer you. I hear your prayers.

Sometimes we wonder if God actually hears our prayers. And the reason why we wonder that is because sometimes they're not answered in the timing in which we had anticipated them being answered. And so we think perhaps God is not listening. He's not aware. He's not hearing. But He hears. Jesus said in John chapter 15 verse seven, "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, then you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you."

In John chapter 16 verse 24, Jesus said, "Until now you've asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." He sees, but He hears our prayers. I remember as a young child hearing a song and the lyrics are still in my mind: What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

It goes on to say, oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. What are you holding on to right now that you ought to be giving over to the Lord in prayer? What did you come in here carrying that you can't control that God's saying, "Listen, why do you want to carry that? Give it to Me."

He is the great burden bearer. Cast your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you. And how do you do that? You do that in prayer. You give that over to Jesus and say, "Lord, this is too much for me. I can't do it. I need You." Oh, friend, when you call upon Him, He will answer. He can hear you.

I think of all the prayers that God has answered and the prayers that God has not answered. And if He didn't answer them, there has to be a reason. If you gave your child everything they asked for for Christmas, you would be poor and they wouldn't be happy necessarily. You don't give them everything. You know what's best. You love to bless them, but you also know them.

The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He sees, He hears, but He also responds. It says, "but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." The Lord is in direct opposition to those who do evil, to the person who walks in evil. They're actually at war with God. Therefore, in light of this assurance that God sees, God hears, and God responds, Peter gives to these suffering believers that were scattered abroad, he asks them a rhetorical question in verse 13.

When he declares, "And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?" It's a good question. "But even if," let's say, perhaps, "you suffer for righteousness' sake, you're blessed. And don't be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." Peter says, "Who can actually harm you if you're doing what's good?"

Speaking generally, Peter was saying, in light of the context, those that were under the governmental laws. Remember he told them, encouraged them to abide by them. Those who were in a situation in their marriage to be a good wife, to be a good husband. Talks about those that were employed, how they were to be with their employer.

If you just do what's right, generally speaking, you do the right thing, God blesses. You're not doing something contrary to what you've been asked to do. Now granted, for some of them, they were doing the right thing and suffering persecution. And if that were the case, Peter says, if that happens, just know this, when you do suffer for righteousness' sake, he says, you're blessed.

Have you thought about that? You're blessed. It's amazing to think that Peter would say that to these people. They're being persecuted. They're being ostracized. They're being criticized. They're being shunned. And Peter says, if it's for righteousness' sake, you've just got to know this: you're blessed. Jesus had said something similar to this when He said in Matthew chapter five, basically Peter is reiterating the Beatitudes of Jesus.

Matthew chapter five in the Sermon on the Mount, this is what Jesus said to His disciples and Peter is just saying it to these believers: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My name's sake." Notice this, rejoice.

Rejoice. Yes, all right. What are you so happy about? I am being persecuted, praise God. This is the response. And then He says be exceedingly glad. For what purpose? Why would I be exceedingly glad about that? Because your reward in heaven is great. Great is your reward in heaven, and they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are in good company, friend. They persecuted your Savior. They persecuted the prophets for doing what was right. And so Peter is just saying, rejoice in this. And this is not something that Peter just told people to do. This was something he did himself. Did you know that?

Because when you read through the book of Acts and you come to the fifth chapter and Peter is there and the rest of the apostles are standing a second time before the Sanhedrin, they're being tried, they're being questioned for preaching in the name of Jesus Christ that He had risen from the dead and being warned, saying, "You preach in that name any longer, that's it, you're done. We're done with you. That's the end of you."

And they said, "Well, we can't help it. We're going to, whether it's right in the sight of man or You, You be the judge. But we cannot help but declare that which we have seen." And so what did they do? You know what they did? They took them and they beat them. They beat them. And guess what they did? Bible tells us. Acts chapter five verse 41. Here's what it says. "So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."

Peter is telling these believers to do exactly what he himself had done. Listen, rejoice in it. There's a blessing. I don't know how that works exactly and to what extent, but there's a blessing when you identify with Jesus in His suffering. There is something there that is a blessing for you and you can rejoice in it because God is using it for good in your life.

Guest (Male): We're going through the New Testament here on A Daily Walk with our pastor and teacher John Randall. If you miss any part of the journey or just like to hear a message again, visit adailywalk.org or look for A Daily Walk wherever you get your podcasts and at oneplace.com. One more option is our church app. Check out the Calvary South OC church app in your favorite app store.

Pastor John has just come out with a new book titled *The Other Side of Sunday*. In it, he offers an honest look at the joys, pressures, prayers, and personal costs of pastoral ministry that often go unseen from the other side of the pulpit. Through heartfelt stories, humor, biblical wisdom, and years of shepherding experience, Pastor John invites the reader into the moments that shape a pastor long after the service ends.

We're making it available to our A Daily Walk listeners for the cost of just $15. May be requested an extra copy to give to your pastor. Ordering is easy online at adailywalk.org or call us at 877-242-0828. Again, 877-242-0828 and adailywalk.org.

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In these difficult days, it is so important that we be praying for one another. So please send in your prayer requests today. We'd love to hear from you. Our email address is adailywalk@gmail.com. That's adailywalk@gmail.com. Well, that's all the time we have for today, but we'll continue through the Bible with John Randall next time. This has been A Daily Walk, where you'll never have to walk alone.